Eric Cantor Has No Idea What "Mainstream" Means

 House Minority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) uses a lot of words he doesn't really understand. The latest is "mainstream."

Cantor chatted yesterday with the CNN editorial board and addressed the idea of the congressional majority passing health care reform on an up-or-down vote. (via Matt Finkelstein)

"If they use ... the reconciliation option, it would necessarily mean that a bill proceeding under those rules is not a bill representing the mainstream of this country," Cantor said, adding such a move would make it harder for Obama to make further progress.

I see. Barack Obama ran for president, and health care reform was the signature domestic issue of his agenda. He won 365 electoral votes. Congressional Democrats made health care reform their signature domestic issue, and they too won large majorities in the last election.

Now, if a reform bill wins the support of a majority of the House and a majority of the Senate, Cantor believes it's outside the "mainstream of this country" unless it has 60 votes to overcome Republican obstructionism.